Debbie Phillips-DonaldsonDebbie Phillips-Donaldson is editor-in-chief of Petfood Industry magazine and Petfood Forum.From the Author - Page 72Pet Food MarketCelebrate National Pet Week with good news about pet care spendingMay 6-12 is National Pet Week, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, which says the week is celebrated in the US and other parts of the world to "promote responsible pet ownership, celebrate the human-animal bond and promote public awareness of veterinary medicine." Perhaps your company is planning a special promotion or at least timing promotional activity with local celebrations at pet retail outlets.HomeSupporting the greater pet communityIf your company is like most in the petfood industry, it already donates product or money to animal shelters or rescue groups. But if you’re looking for new ways to support the greater pet community, several companies have new initiatives, along with a new model, petfood banks, patterned after food banks for humans.Pet Food IngredientsAdvances in functional petfood ingredientsSince the term “functional food” was first used in Japan in the 1980s, food science and nutrition knowledge have progressed from identifying and correcting nutritional deficiencies—improving life expectancy—to designing foods that promote optimal health and reduce risk of disease—improving wellness and the quality of life, said K.B. Kore, PhD, assistant professor with the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry at Navsari Agricultural University in India.Pet Food MarketFor petfood manufacturers, corn and wheat harvests might mean good newsRecent reports from the US Department of Agriculture offer good news for petfood manufacturers that use corn- or wheat-based ingredients in their formulations: Planting of corn and wheat in the US is ahead of schedule so far this year thanks to favorable weather. As of April 15, about 37% of the spring wheat crop had been seeded and 17% of the corn crop had been planted, according to reports.Pet Food MarketFor petfood, true innovation now lies behind the scenesFor Interzoo 2012, the organizer of the event -- arguably the largest pet trade show in the world -- invited me to give a presentation during the show's international press conference. While honored and flattered by the invitation, I was also rather nervous, initially, because of the requested topic: innovation in petfood and treats.Pet Food SafetyDesigning your plant for petfood safetyWith increased scrutiny by consumers and regulators in the US, European Union and other regions, ensuring the safety of petfood products is crucial. For petfood manufacturers, food safety starts at home—in this case, the manufacturing plant, especially when it is being built or retrofitted.HomeSustainability matters to tomorrow’s petfood consumersIn answering questions for this issue’s article on GA Pet Food Partners’ new environmentally friendly facility, David Bennison, GA’s sales director, makes a strong case for conferring with all stakeholders when launching a sustainability initiative. “In order to develop a long-term plan, you need to consult comprehensively with all employees, suppliers, customers and local residents to ensure the proposals meet their concerns and give confidence that the business is truly sustainable,” he says.HomeGA Pet Food leads in sustainabilityWith consumers increasingly seeking eco-friendly products and brands, more and more “green” claims are appearing in the marketplace on all categories of products. Petfood is no exception.Pet Food MarketPetfood Forum went to the dogs this year ...... literally! The fur was flying at Petfood Forum 2012, especially on Tuesday, April 3, when two rescue groups, members of the Petfinder.com network, visited with more than a dozen dogs and puppies, plus a couple cats. That was in addition to several booths in the exhibit hall hosting dogs (and one amazingly calm cat).Pet Food MarketSustainability: not just for huge multinationalsA new report shows retailer Walmart and Nestle, parent company of Nestle Purina, ranking among the top corporate sustainability leaders worldwide, according to GreenBiz.com. Based on a survey of "industry experts and professionals" by GlobeScan Inc. and SustainAbility Ltd., the report names 13 such leaders, with Unilever at the very top.Pet Food MarketTaking the claim 'human grade' literallyIt's not uncommon for media and others to see certain marketing terms and trends with petfood -- such as humanization -- and interpret them literally. Yet recently, BloombergBusinessweek took the concept to a whole new level.Pet Food MarketGet your new product development questions answeredEverything you've ever wanted to know about new product development but were afraid (or didn't know whom) to ask ... That's what you'll find at Petfood Workshop: New Product Development, April 4-5 at the Renaissance Schaumburg near Chicago, Illinois, USA.Previous PagePage 72 of 83Next Page
